An endothermic reaction is any chemical reaction that absorbs heat from its environment.
Example: When a liquid turns into a gas, it must absorb sufficient energy in the form of heat to overcome the intermolecular forces in order for the particles to escape into the gas phase. Consider this reaction:
H2O (l) + (heat) 2260 joules ==> H2O (g)
Some of the endothermic processes are:
Converting frost to water vapor (melting, boiling, and evaporation in general are endothermic processes)
Making an anhydrous salt from a hydrate
Forming a cation from an atom in the gas phase
Splitting a gas molecule
Separating ion pairs
Cooking an egg
Baking bread
Decomposition reaction - In decomposition reactions, a compound breaks down or decomposes to form two or more substances.
XY ---> X + Y
Decomposition reactions require a source of energy in the form of heat, light, or electricity to decompose the compound involved. Hence, these reactions can be classified into three types, depending on the source of energy for the reaction.
a) Decomposition by heat or thermal decomposition
b) Decomposition by electricity or electrolysis
c) Decomposition by light or photolysis